Pips August 27, 2026: Hints & Answers
Recap
The easy board requires strategic placement of 5 dominoes across 5 regions. The medium board involves 7 dominoes and 8 regions with various constraints. The hard board features 15 dominoes and 13 regions, demanding careful consideration of interconnected constraints.
The three boards that day
The tray and each region's rule — board data, no solutions.
Easy board · 5 dominoes · 5 regions
Dominoes: 3–65–32–65–51–4
- five cells: all different.
- one cell: exactly 4.
- one cell: exactly 3.
- one cell: more than 5.
- two cells: all matching.
Small number of dominoes and regions makes it manageable.
Medium board · 7 dominoes · 8 regions
Dominoes: 5–52–23–12–61–52–45–3
- one cell: more than 4.
- two cells: exactly 6.
- two cells: under 4.
- 3 ×two cells: all matching.
- one cell: left uncovered.
- two cells: more than 6.
More regions and dominoes increase the complexity.
Hard board · 15 dominoes · 13 regions
Dominoes: 2–03–65–54–46–65–13–35–43–15–63–52–46–12–13–0
- 2 ×three cells: all matching.
- 3 ×two cells: all matching.
- five cells: all matching.
- two cells: exactly 7.
- one cell: exactly 5.
- 2 ×two cells: exactly 6.
- two cells: exactly 8.
- two cells: exactly 0.
- two cells: exactly 4.
Large number of dominoes and complex constraints make it challenging.
Pips hints, one rung at a time
Six rungs, easy board first. The recap above already named the walkthroughs, so this ladder is here for anyone replaying the boards fresh rather than as a spoiler shield.
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Hint 1: How the three boards compared
Sizes and constraint mixes, counted off the boards.
- Easy board
- 5 dominoes, 5 regions (2 sum, 1 equals, 1 greater, 1 unequal)
- Medium board
- 7 dominoes, 8 regions (3 equals, 2 greater, 1 empty, 1 less, 1 sum)
- Hard board
- 15 dominoes, 13 regions (7 sum, 6 equals)
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Hint 2: Easy board: how to approach it
Method only.
Start by identifying regions with unique constraints, focusing on those with limited possibilities.
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Hint 3: Easy board: where to start
One region named by its constraint.
Begin with the region that must have an unequal distribution of pips.
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Hint 4: Medium board: approach and first region
The same two steps, one difficulty up.
Look for regions with strict constraints like greater 4 or less 4 to limit options.
Start with a region that has an equals constraint and is small.
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Hint 5: Hard board: how to approach it
Where the hard board differed in kind, not just size.
Focus on regions with multiple constraints or those that are highly interconnected.
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Hint 6: Hard board: where to start
The last rung before the full walkthroughs.
Begin with a large region that has an equals constraint.
Every Pips walkthrough from that day
All three walkthroughs, folded: each one places every domino on its board, one after another.
Easy board · 5 dominoes
Easy board walkthrough
Place the 3/6 domino, then the 5/3 domino. Next, place the 2/6 and 5/5 dominoes. Finally, place the 1/4 domino.
Medium board · 7 dominoes
Medium board walkthrough
Begin with the equals regions, then place dominoes to satisfy sum 6 and greater 4 constraints.
Hard board · 15 dominoes
Hard board walkthrough
Start by placing dominoes in the equals regions with 3 cells, then move to the sum 7 and sum 5 regions. Next, focus on the equals regions with 2 cells. Place dominoes to satisfy the sum 6, sum 8, and sum 0 constraints. Finally, adjust to meet the greater and less constraints.
Those boards by the numbers
- Date
- Thursday, August 27, 2026
- Boards
- 3 — easy, medium, hard
- Dominoes in play
- 27 across the three boards
- Easy board
- 5 dominoes · 5 regions
- Medium board
- 7 dominoes · 8 regions
- Hard board
- 15 dominoes · 13 regions
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